Israeli Prime Minister proposes to form 'Middle East NATO' with US
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed creating a new military bloc modeled on NATO and called the “Abraham Alliance” to counter Iran.
Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress on July 24. This was his fourth speech to US lawmakers, breaking the previous record set by Winston Churchill, although about 70 members of the House and Senate refused to attend for one reason or another.
“The United States formed a security alliance in Europe to counter the growing Soviet threat. Similarly, the United States and Israel can form a security alliance in the Middle East today to counter the growing Iranian threat,” Netanyahu said.
A glimpse of that alliance could be seen on April 14, he said, when Iran launched a missile and drone attack against Israel and the US and UK helped shoot down some of them.
Mr. Netanyahu thanked US President Joe Biden “for holding that coalition together” as well as his predecessor Donald Trump for brokering the “Abraham Accords” between Israel and several Arab countries during his tenure.
“I think we should call it the Abraham Alliance,” he said of the proposed NATO-like bloc.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister, countries that are at peace with West Jerusalem or intend to do so should join the bloc, because Iran is a threat to all of them.
Mr. Netanyahu argued that when Israel fights and tries to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, “we are not only protecting ourselves, but we are also protecting you.”
“Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, our victory will be your victory,” Netanyahu told US lawmakers. “I know that America supports us.”
The United States has provided military aid to Israel throughout the nine-month war with Hamas, which Netanyahu launched after the Palestinian militant group’s raid outside Gaza. Pressed by Palestinian and Arab Americans in Biden’s party, his government has proposed a three-phase ceasefire plan for the enclave, which West Jerusalem has been reluctant to accept.
According to Mr. Netanyahu, Israel will not stop until it destroys Hamas' military capabilities, ends its grip on Gaza and repatriates all those captured in the October 7 attack. The leader added: "That is what total victory means. And we will not accept anything less."
